Machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. J. THOMAS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE;

Patented guly 20, 1886.

n PETERSfPhotaLilhogmphgr, Wahinglun. n. c.

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. J. THOMAS.

TYPE WRITINGMAGHINE. No. 346,000. Patented July 20, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. THOMAS, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-SIXTHS TO ABRAME. PRATT, OF SAME PLACE, AND SIDNEY O. THOMPSON, OF

BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 346,000, dated July 20,1886.

Application filed January 27, 1885. Serial No. 154,173. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, HENRY J. THOMAS, of New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Type-\Vriting Machines, of-whioh the following is aspecification.

I will describe a type-writing machine embodying my improvement, andthen point l, and lookingin the direction indicated by the arrows at theends of said line. Fig. 4 is a transverse section thereof, taken at theplane of the dotted line 3 y, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows at the ends of this line, the parts in this view being shownin a different position from that in which they are shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a section thereof taken at the plane of the line o 11, Fig. l,and Fig. 6 is a rear view thereof.

Similar letters of-reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates a type-form, here shown as having a body which isrectangular in shape, and rows of types arranged longitudinally upon itssides. It may be cast of metal having the type raised thereon, or I may,if desired, apply thin sheets of metal, indiarubber, or other suitablematerial thereto, upon which types are raised. This type-formisjournaled in bearings in a frame or holder, B. It extendslongitudinally in the direction of the length of said frame, or at rightangles to the length of the base-piece of the machine, and is adapted tobe rotated, as here shown, by means of a hand-piece, a, upon theoutwardly-extending end thereof.

0 designates a spring for securing the typeform in different positionsin the course of its rotation. I prefer to arrange said spring above thetype-form and extend it in the direction of the length thereof. Thespring 0 is secured about midway of its length to the upper portion ofthe frame B by rivet-s or otherwise. Each of the free portions of thespring converges down wardly toward the typet'orm B, and at the end isbent at approximate right angles to its length, and bears upon thetype-'i'orm beyond the types. The type-form shown in this example of myimprovement is adapted to receive three-quarters of a complete rotationin either direction, and the spring 0 tends to retain it at any desiredone of the several quarter-rotations, in order to obviate rotarymovement thereof while printing is being done. The frame Bis mounted ona table, D, and adapted to be moved in a longitudinal direction, ortoward the front or rear of the machine. In these movements thetype-form of course moves with it. These movements may be imparted tothe frame and type form by grasping the hand-piece a and drawing itforward or pushing it backward. The frame B, in moving backward andforward upon the table D. travels above a longitudinal slot or opening,E, with which the table is provided. The frame works along guides, withwhich the table is provided. One of said guides consists of a slot, 1),arranged in an upturned rearward portion of the table D, through whichpasses a flat strip or tail-piece, O, on the frame B. Another of saidguides is formed by the longitudinal edges of the slot E in the table,the frame being provided with a down wardly-extending plate or portion,which has notches c fitting the longitudinal edges of the slot oropening E in the table D. Another guide, 0 upon the upper surface of thetable D tends to prevent lateral movement of the frame B in onedirection independently of the table. The frame B is moved backward andforward for the purpose of bringing type arranged at different points inthe length of the type-form A. into position for printing upon paper orother material supported by a bedroller, H. This bed roller may be ofany suitable construction, and is journaled in the side pieces, K K, ofthe base-piece K. It is intended to have a partial rotation after eachline of printing has been done. I have construction for this purpose.

shown no mechanism for imparting motion to it, because I may usemechanism of ordinary For the same reason I have entirelyoinitted themechanism for feeding the material to be printed upon.

It is desirable, when a type is brought into position for printing, thatthe frame should be there held and its reciprocal movement stopped whilethe type is being printed. To accomplish this I have serrated one of theedges (1 of the frame B, which rests upon the table D. A flat spring, F,acts in conjunction with said serrations. (Shown clearly in Fig. 3.) Oneend ofsaid spring is secured, by rivets or otherwise, io the table D,upon the under side thereof, and the free end is curved upwardly, sothat normally the upturned end rests within one of the serrations. Theupturned end of the spring may, however, move in and out of theserrations as the frame-like device B is moved backward and forward. Ihave shown another flat spring, G, secured at one end in like manner tothe table D, and adapted to bear near its free end upon the bed-rollerH. By means of this spring the table is supported above the bed rollerwhen the type is not engaged in printing. The spring G likewise has itsfree end turned upwardly, and is notched or set off to one side, as ate, to admit of the free downward movement of the frame The upturned endsof the springs F and G may advantageously be at such distance apart thatwhen the frame B is pressed downwardly one of the teeth upon theserrated edge (1 will pass between the end of the spring F and thehorizontal edge in the notch e of the spring G. The frame B is therebylocked and prevented from longitudinal movement when the type is downupon the paper. It is not, however. absolutely necessary to employ thespring G in conjunction with the spring F to lock the frame. Justforward of the point at which the type-form A is journaled at its inneror rear end to the frame B said type-form has secured to it a pinion, f.Said pinion acts in conjunction with a rack-bar, I, which latter isthereby moved backward and forward in a direction transversely to thelength of the frame B through suitable slots, in said frame. Therack-bar I is supported in its movements upon a rib or shoulderextending throughout its length and resting upon shouldered edges of theslots 9. One end of said rack-bar is curved downwardly to form apointer, 7L, and the other end thereof has a downwardly-projecting lug,which limits the movement of the rack-bar in one direction. The pointer71. extends over a series of letters, figures, and other charactersarranged upon the table D. Said characters orrespond in kind to the typeupon the type-form A, and are arranged in four rows, corresponding tothose upon the four sides of the type-form shown in this example of myimprovement, except that whereas lhe types of greatest length are shownas farthest toward the rear upon the table D, and those of shortestlength as farthest to the front thereof, those upon the typeform arearranged in exactly the reverse direction, or with the shortest typestoward the rear and the longest toward the front of the machine. Byrotating the typeform A, and by moving the frame B backward and forward,the pointer h may be brought above any character which it is desired toprint. The corresponding type is then in a position to reproduce thesame upon the paper being printed upon. The table D is supported upon arod, J, in suitable bearings, here shown as a sleeve, J, arranged aboutsaid rod. The rod J extends transversely to the length of the table D,and is secured at each end in the side frames, K K, of the basepiece K.Said table may be swung up and down on said rod and be moved along onthe same.

L designates a clutch arranged upon a rod, M, here shown as rectangular,extending between the side frames, K K, to the rearward of the rod J.This clutch is preferably made of one piece of metal, and has in it arectangular aperture, 2', whereby it is fitted about the rod M, so thatit cannot rotate upon the same. It is bifurcated below the aperture 6,and the bifurcated ends thereof are turned upwardly, one upon each sideof the rod M, and act as guides for the clutch in its movements backwardand forward upon said rod. The clutch has a portion, j, extendingupwardly above the rod M, which portion enters a slot, is, in theportion 0 of the frame B. The edges L It of said slot are beveled in thesame direction, or toward the body of the clutch, and the portionj ofthe clutch is bent in such manner as to present an inclined surface tothe edges of the slot corresponding to the incline of the bevels. \Vhcnthe table D is rocked downwardly in front, it causes the beveled edge Itof the slot It to travel along the under side of the bent port-ion j ofthe clutch L, by which means the clutch is moved along in the direc tionof the arrow X in Fig. 1. YVhen, however, the tableDis rocked upwardlyin front, the beveled edge It of the slot k is caused to travel alongthe upper side of the bent portion j of the clutch L. Said clutch isthereby canted toward the edge k of the slot in such manner that it isfirmly locked upon the rod M. The continued upward movement of the tableD,and consequent down ward movement of the portion 0, then causes thebeveled edge 7; of the slot k to slide along upon the inclined up persurface of the portion j of the clutch L, thereby imparting a forwardmovement to said table and its appurtenances in the direction of thearrow X, Fig. 1. I have shown a spring, Z, arranged upon the clutch Lbeneath the rod M and upon the side of the clutch opposite to thebifurcated upturned ends thereof. This spring bears against the underside ofthe rod M, and tends to maintain the clutch in such apositionthat it will not bind when being moved to the right, orin the directionof the arrow X in Fig. l, by force applied through the tailpiece 0.\Vhen it is desired to move the table canted upon said rod. Theinfluence of thespring Z is thereby overcome, and the clutch and tablemay then be moved back freely; or the tail-piece C may be rockeddownward upon the upturned bifurcated end ofthe clutch L, as shown moreclearly in Fig. 3. The hold of the clutch upon the rod M will thereby berelieved, and the table D and its appurtenances may be moved back freelyin a direction opposite to the arrow X. It will be observed that theslot It varies in width, the variations being produced by the deviationfrom a Straight line of the edge is thereof, which is the edge by whichthe clutch is moved along on the bar M. This variation is for thepurpose of increasing and decreasing the distance which the clutch andthe table D,with its appurtenances, shall be moved in the direction ofthe arrow X. This is made necessary for the following reasons: By mytype-writer I am enabled to produce a great number of characters andcombinations of characters including many words of two and threeletters. It is obvious that when a word is printed therewith havingthree letters the t-ype'form must be moved along farther before anotherletter or word is printed than would be necessary if but a single letterwere printed each time the type is brought into contact with the paper.I have shown the single letters and characters arranged upon the table Dnearest the front end thereof, those of two letters or their equivalentin width next to the rearward of the single letters, and those of threeletters behind those oftwo letters. It will be seen, therefore, thatwhen single letters are being printed the pointer h is well to the frontof the table D, and the portion 0 has been drawn forwardproportionately. The edges of the slot 7c are then acting upon theclutch at the widest part of the slot, whereby only a short movement ofthe table D, and consequently of the type form, is effected in thedirection of the arrowX; but when words of two or three letters arebeing printed the pointer h, and likewise the portion 0, has been movedbackward, the edges ofthe slot are therefore acting upon the clutch atthe narrower plrts of the slot, and the distance which the type-form ismoved is increased accordingly. By this means the variations necessaryin spacing are effected automatically.

I will now describe the device for inking the type, of which N is abellcrank lever fulcrumed to a downwardly-extcnding portion of the tableD, near the rear end of the table. This lever has upon one of its armsjaws a a". The jaw it extends above the upper side of the rod M. The jawof extends beneath the lower side of said rod. The other end, if, of thelever is bifurcated and receives between its bifurcated ends one end ofa lever,O, which lever is fulcrumed upon a post, Z, extending downwardlyfrom the table D and rigidly affixed thereto. The other end of the leverO is pivotally connected to one end of a lever, P, made resilient orwith a resilient portion, P. This lever P is fulcrumed upon a bracket,m, upon the under side of the table D, and extends in the direct-ion ofthe length of the type form A. An arm of the bracket extends throughslots at, which, as here shown, are in upturned portions of the lever P.The said 7 arm is notched to receive the edges surrounding one of saidslots, whereby lateral movement of the lever is prevented.

Upon the end of the lever P nearer the front of the machine is arrangedan inking-pad, R. 8c Said pad is loosely pivoted at its center upon thelever P and may turn freely about said pivot. \Vhen the table is rockedupwardly, the jaw of the bell-crank lever N which extends above the rodM is caused by the said 8 bar to be rocked upwardly The bifurcated endof the bell-crank lever is then rocked toward the rear of the machine,and operates to move the end of thelrver O with which it is in contactalong with it, and the other end of 0 the lever O to be accordinglymoved toward the front ofthe machine, carrying with it the lever P,which is moved along on the arm of the bracket m, upon which it isfulcrumed. It will be observed,also, that when the forward end of thetable D is raised the rearward end is depressed and carries with it thepost Z, upon which the lever O is fulcrumed, so that said lever is movedbodily downward and carries with it in its downward course the end ofthe lever P to which it is connected. By this means not only is thelever P moved forward toward the front of the machine,

but its forward. end is rocked upward toward the type upon the type-formA. WVhen [05 the lever P is moving forward, the rear end of the slots atis caused to abut against the bracket at before the rear end of thetable D, and consequently the lever O, has reached its farthest downwardmovement. The further downward movement of the lever 0 therefore. causesthe lever P to turn as on a pivot upon the arm ofthe bracket m, and thepad Rupon the lever P is moved forcibly upward against the type upon thetype-form without any additional forward movement of the lever P. Thepad R is so arranged that when it reaches the type it strikes it at apoint off from the centcrof the pad, and when the pad is mov- 1ng awayfrom the type there may be a slight drag on the type, which serves toturn the pada little, so as to bring fresh portions of the samesuccessively into contact with the type. when the forward end of thetable D is moved downwardly,in order to bring the type upon thetype-form A into contact with the paper to be printed upon, the rear endof the table D is raised. The jaw of the bell-crank lever N which isbeneath the rod 0, beingin contact with said rod, is held thereby, so asto prevent the lever from following the vertical course of the adjacentend of the table D, causing said lever to be rocked so as to shift thelever O and draw backwardly the lever P, so

IIO

that when the type reaches the paper the pad has moved backward andwholly out of the way of the type.

S designates a lever, which can be manipulated at the same time with thetable D, to effect the spacing between words. It is, as shown, fulcrumedupon the side frame K,upon the outside thereof. Its rearwardly-extendingend has upon it a wedge, S, preferably made integral therewith. Saidwedge is adapted to operate in conjunction with a corresponding inclinedsurface upon the inner side of a projection or lug,T, upon theoutwardlyextending end of the rod M. \Vhen the wedge is moved upwardly,it operates to draw the said rod-outwardly through the said frame K.\Vhen the force operating to move the wedge upwardly is removed, acoil-spri ng, U,arranged about the rod M at the portion thereof adjacentto the side frame K, operates to draw the said rod back to its normalposition. The inclined surface on the lug T will then force the wedgedownwardly out of contact therewith. I have shown said spring asabutting at one end against the head of a screw, 9", fittingin ascrew-holein the end of the rod M,a-nd atthe other againsta bracket, 8,secured to the inner side of the side frame K and about the rod M. Bytightening or loosening the screw 1' the tension of the springU may beincreased or decreased, in order to regulate the action of the lever S.\Vhen the last type-character is reached in printing a word,thetype-formAand the lever S are pressed downwardly in unison. The rod M is movedoutwardly by the wedge S, as previously described, without, however,imparting a retrograde movement to the clutch L or the table D. \Vhen,therefore, the table D and the lever S are moved upwardly in unison, theforward impetus given to the table Dand its appurtenances is not onlythat which ordinarily results from the action of the clutch L, but hasadded thereto that occasioned by the returning movement of the rod M. Bythis means the spacing between words is effected. It will beseen,thercfore,that the spaci21 between words may be effectedsimultaneously with the movement of the frame B which causes the spacingbetween letters, thus obviating two movements-one for spacing theletters and the other for spacing words. Much time in writing is therebysaved. I arrange a stop, S here shown as a screw, upon the upper side ofthe side piece K, beneath an inwardly-projecting lip or lug. S, upon thelever S. When the front end of the lever S is moved downwardly,the lip Scomes in contact with the stop, and the action of the wedge S upon thebar M is thereby limited. By adjusting the stop, therefore, the lengthof move ment of the bar M can be shortened or lengthened, and the lengthof the spaces between the words regulated as desired.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of a typeforin having four sides only, as I may use a type-form having anydesired number of sides.

WVhat Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a bedroller, atype-form arranged in a direction at right angles thereto, a handpieeefor rotating the same, arranged in front of the machine, a rockingtable, aframe supporting said type-form, mounted upon said table andcapable of being slid thereon in a direction transversely to the lengthof the bed-roller, letters or characters arranged upon said table incolumns extending transversely to the length of the bed-roller, and apointer, independent of the means for rotating the type-form mounted insaid frame, extending over said letters or characters, sliding with saidframe, and reciprocated by the type-form when the latter is rotated,substantially as specified.

2. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary type-form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, a table upon whichsaid frame slides, a tail-piece on said frame provided with a taperingslot, a rod upon which said table may slide, and a clutch operating inconjunction with the frame for moving the table and its appurtenancesalong for varying distances automatically, substantially as specified.

3. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of the typeform A, thesliding frame B, the table D, the portion 0 of the frame B, providedwith the slot 70, of varying width, the

clutch L, having the portion j entering said slot, and the rodM,substantially as specified.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of the type-form A, thesliding frame B, the table D, the rod J, upon which said table issupported, the portion 0' of the frame B, pro vided with the slot 7c,having the beveled edges 7t It", the clutch L, having the bent portionj, and the rod M, substantially as described, whereby when the forwardend of the table D is rocked downwardly it will operate to move theclutch along in one direction upon the rod M, and when the same isrocked upwardly it will operate to lock the clutch upon the rod M andmove the table and its appurtenances along upon the rod J.

5. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary type'form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, provided with a slotof varying width, a table upon which said frame slides, words,syllables, and single letters or characters arranged in graduated rowsupon said type-form, similar words, syllables, and single letters orcharacters arranged upon the table in correspondinglygraduated rows, apointer extending over the same and supported in the sliding frame, anda clutch operating in conjunction with said slot, substantially asdescribed,whereby when the pointer has been moved into a position over aword, syllable, letter, or character which it is desired to print thecorresponding word, syllable, letter, or character upon the type-forn1will be in position for printing, and

when the same has been printed the clutch will operate automatically tomove the table and its appurtenances along a distance equal to thelength of said word, syllable, letter, or character.

6. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary typeform, asliding frame in which said type form is mounted, a table upon whichsaid frame slides, a clutch for moving said table and its appurtenancesalong in one direction, a longitudinally-movable rod upon which saidclutch is mounted, a lever for moving said rod, but not the clutch,inone direction, and a spring for moving the rod and the clutch in theopposite direction, substantially as specified.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a rotary type'form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, a table upon whichsaid frame slides, a clutch for moving said table along in onedirection, the rod M, upon which said clutch is mounted, the lever S,having the wedge S, the projection or lug T on the rod M, and the springU, substantially as specified.

8. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary type-form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, a rocking table uponwhich said frame slides, levers arranged beneath said rocking table andsupported thereby. an inking-pad on one of said levers, and the rod M,substantially as described, whereby when the forward end of the table isrocked upwardly the pad will be moved forward and upward against thetype to be printed, and when the same is rocked downwardly the pad willbe moved downward and backward from said type.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary type-form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, a table upon whichsaid frame slides, a clutch for moving said table along, a rod uponwhich said clutch slides, a lever for imparting horizontal movement tosaid rod, and an adjustable stop for limiting the movement which thelever will impart to the rod, substantially as specified.

10. In a type-writing machine, the combination of the table D, the frameB, the rod M, the clutch L, the lever S,having the wedge S, the lip orlug S on said lever, the stop S and the spring U, substantially asspecified.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a rotary type-form, asliding frame in which said type-form is mounted, a table upon whichsaid frame slides, the be11-crank lever N, fulcrumed on said table, andhaving the jaws n a and the bifurcated end a, the rod M, the leverO,fulcrumed from the post Z, the resilient lever P, having the slots n andfulcrumed upon the bracket m, and the pad It, substantially asspecified.

' HENRY J. THOMAS. W'itnesses:

'I. J. KEANE,

M. G. LIPSEY.

